A marshmallow is a sugar-based confection that, in its modern form, typically consists of sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a spongy consistency, molded into small cylindrical pieces, and coated with corn starch. Some marshmallow recipes call for eggs. Commercially-available marshmallows are commonly prepared by the aeration of mixtures of sucrose and proteins to a final density of about 0.5 g/ml. The proteins, and gelatin or egg albumin, prevent the collapse of air-filled cells.
This confection is the modern version of a medicinal confection made from Althaea officinalis, the marshmallow plant. The use of marshmallow to make sweets dates back to ancient Egypt, where the recipe called for extracting sap from the plant and mixing it with nuts and honey. Another pre-modern recipe uses the pith of the marshmallow plant, rather than the sap. The stem was peeled back to reveal the soft and spongy pith, which was boiled in sugar syrup and dried to produce a soft, chewy confection.
A milestone in the development of the modern marshmallow was the extrusion process by the American Alex Doumak in 1954. Marshmallow mixture is pumped through extrusion heads with numerous ports aligned next to each other which form long continuous “ropes” of marshmallow. This invention allows marshmallows to be manufactured in a fully automated way and produces the familiar cylindrical shape of today's marshmallow. In modern marshmallow processing plants, the following process may be used to make marshmallows in large quantities:
In large industrial kettles, water, sugar, and corn syrup are heated to a precise temperature and cooked for a precise time. This mixture is then pumped to another kettle to cool. Rehydrated gelatin is added and blended in once the mixture has cooled enough to not “kill” the gelatin. To give the marshmallow its fluffiness, it is pumped through a blender while air is pumped into it. At this point, it still needs to be cooled down further, so it will hold its shape when extruded. The mixture is pumped through a heat exchanger prior to being pumped through the extrusion heads and onto a wide conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is coated in corn starch and more corn starch is dusted onto the top of the marshmallow extrusion as it passes down the conveyor. A large knife the width of the conveyor is located at the end of this conveyor table that will then chop the extrusion into the size marshmallow desired. The pieces will then be tumbled in corn starch in a large drum in order for the marshmallow to form its familiar skin and allow pieces that did not get cut all the way to break apart.
Currently, marshmallows are predominantly used in food-type recipes (e.g., baking recipes, making cookies, cake frostings, cooked treats such as s'mores and Rice Krispies® treats. To facilitate shipping and storage, marshmallows of various sizes (regular and miniatures) are typically packaged in sealed plastic bags. Unfortunately, marshmallows lose their freshness over several weeks in today's packaging.
A popular camping or backyard tradition in the United Kingdom, North America, New Zealand and Australia is the toasting of marshmallows over a campfire or other open flame. A marshmallow is placed on the end of a stick or skewer and held carefully over the fire. This creates a caramelized outer skin with a liquid, molten layer underneath. According to individual preference, the marshmallows are heated to various degrees—from gently toasted to a charred outer layer. Often, the latter is achieved by igniting the marshmallow. The toasted marshmallow can either be eaten whole or the outer layer can be removed and consumed separately and the rest of the marshmallow toasted again.
An opportunity exists to expand consumer marketability of the marshmallow into a new category: stand-alone candy treat. More specifically, a need exists for a marshmallow product that exhibits the popular and familiar characteristics of marshmallows toasted over a campfire. Such a product should be snack-sized for ease of packaging and consumption. Such a product also should be characterized by an extended shelf-life both during shipping and market display. Such a product should also stand up to typical food product handling without losing its process-acquired form and appearance.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.